


Asher's New Life - Three

by Alisanne



Series: Asher's New Life [3]
Category: Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter - Laurell K. Hamilton
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-19
Updated: 2014-10-19
Packaged: 2018-02-21 20:37:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2481584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alisanne/pseuds/Alisanne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>The characters in the following story are based on the works of Laurell K. Hamilton.  Characters are only borrowed and will be returned unharmed.  No copyright infringement is intended.   This story includes sexually explicit material including homosexual acts. </p><p>This was originally written 4/2005, and do keep in mind, I couldn't get past Cerulean Sins, so this will not reflect current canon, such as it is.</p><p>This is gifted to Porri, since without their encouragement, I'd never have reposted this here. :)</p>
    </blockquote>





	Asher's New Life - Three

**Author's Note:**

  * For [porri](https://archiveofourown.org/users/porri/gifts).



> The characters in the following story are based on the works of Laurell K. Hamilton. Characters are only borrowed and will be returned unharmed. No copyright infringement is intended. This story includes sexually explicit material including homosexual acts. 
> 
> This was originally written 4/2005, and do keep in mind, I couldn't get past Cerulean Sins, so this will not reflect current canon, such as it is.
> 
> This is gifted to Porri, since without their encouragement, I'd never have reposted this here. :)

~

Asher’s New Life: Part 3 

(Farewell Party, AKA, A Door closes and God opens a Window.)

~

Richard Alaric Zeeman, Ulfric of the Thronos Rokke clan, sipped slowly at his beer. He was standing in the banquet hall of the Circus of the Damned which was very festively, if hastily, adorned. He looked admiringly at the new decorations and subtle decor.

Jean-Claude has either got a new decorator or has suddenly gotten better taste he thought, ruefully recalling some of the odd color schemes and themes he had seen for past events.

A large area was devoted to a full bar, and uniformed waiters walked around the room offering canapés to guests. 

Several of the local were leaders were present and were politely chatting in groups, but Richard was not feeling particularly social tonight. 

Rafael Rodriguez walked up to him and clasped him on the shoulder. “How’s it going Richard?” he asked. 

Richard glanced at him and raised his beer bottle in a salute. “Things are going pretty well,” he said. 

“Missing Anita?” Rafael said. 

Richard shrugged. He was not missing Anita. He was so not missing Anita... He was in fact quite relieved that she was gone. 

“Mmm, not really,” he replied diplomatically. 

Before the conversation could progress any further, a door at the end of the room opened to reveal Jean-Claude and Asher, both dressed in elegant Armani suits. The two men were fashionably late, but no one seemed to mind as the refreshments had been flowing quite freely.

Jean-Claude entered first, executed a little bow to the crowd, and then motioned for silence. 

“Mes ami’s,” he began, his mellifluous voice carrying to every corner of the room. “I have invited you here today both to celebrate with me, and to mourn with me.” 

The vampire paused dramatically, his midnight blue eyes glittering with suppressed emotion. Richard could see he was enjoying this. 

“To celebrate of course, because a dear friend has received a promotion and now goes on to master his own city.” 

A smattering of applause greeted this news. 

“But,” he paused, “at the same time I mourn the loss of so close a friend.” He threw up his hands. “Yet things must always change, must they not?” 

Murmured agreement from the audience.

“Mmm, well... and so I give to you my dear friend Asher, now the Master of Richmond. He remains my dear friend, albeit from further away.” 

The gathered audience laughed and clapped. 

“So, eat, drink and celebrate with us!” Jean-Claude invited, his alabaster skin glowing, blue black hair gleaming in the candlelight. 

Richard sipped his drink slowly and watched at him from under his lashes. He felt again the familiar coiling in his gut that had always been his reaction to the vampire, as far back as he could remember. 

He just gets more and more beautiful, he thought.

As if he had heard the thought, the vampire turned his head and his eyes locked with the werewolf’s across the room. 

Jean-Claude smiled and inclined his head, finally tearing his eyes with difficulty away from Richard’s glowing gaze. 

A buzz went through the room, and people started gravitating toward the host and guest of honor. Richard could hear several guests congratulating Asher on his promotion. 

“This is quite impressive, mon ami,” Asher said to Jean-Claude when the initial crush of people cleared. “I am flattered at all the trouble that you have gone to given your having had such short notice.”

The younger vampire smiled his acknowledgment, but he was obviously distracted, his attention appeared to be centered on the tall, handsome, brown haired man standing across the room. 

A speculative look crossed Asher’s face. “See something... interesting, mon ami?” he asked softly. 

Jean-Claude glanced at his friend, startled. 

Asher kept talking conversationally. “He is quite attractive...”

Jean-Claude shrugged. “Richard? Oui he is.” 

He correctly interpreted the look Asher gave him. “He is not interested in me however.”

Asher smiled. “Non? I suspect you may be a bit blind about that Jean. But we shall see in a moment. He approaches,” Asher observed. 

Richard stepped up to the two vampires and, reaching out, shook Asher’s hand warmly. 

“I wish to add my congratulations, Asher,” he said in his deep, rich baritone voice. “I have been to Richmond. It is a lovely place,” he continued. 

“Oui, so I understand, mon ami,” the older vampire said, a faint smile playing around his mouth.

Richard slowly turned to Jean-Claude. “So, I imagine this is hard for you to see your friend go, Jean-Claude,” he observed, his eyes intense, almost devouring.

The ebony haired vampire nodded and swallowed convulsively, uncharacteristically speechless. 

Richard watched the movement closely, licking his lips unconsciously.  
A heavily charged silence grew between the two men. 

Asher cleared his throat and watched with amusement and satisfaction as the two men jumped at the sound, eyes that had been lingering, pulling apart reluctantly. 

“Well,” he said, just the hint of a smile in his voice, “I need to go and speak with the members of my new kiss.” He bowed a farewell and left the two standing alone.

Jean-Claude looked at Richard for a few moments, frantically trying to remember what they had just been discussing. 

“Oui,” he said, finally recalling the conversation. “I shall miss his council and his companionship.” 

Richard nodded his understanding. “Well, if you ever need an objective ear to bounce ideas off of please don’t hesitate to call me,” he said. 

Jean-Claude looked at him consideringly. When had Richard become so intriguing? he thought. And how did I forget those deep brown eyes....

“Have you heard from Anita?” Richard asked suddenly, breaking the vampire’s reverie.

Jean-Claude shook his head. “Non, she is in Africa and I suspect we shall not hear from her unless something goes wrong,” he said.

“Rafael asked me if I missed her,” Richard commented, sipping his beer.

“And do you?” the vampire asked softly, almost dreading the answer. 

“Absolutely not!” Richard replied emphatically. “You?” he asked, watching the other man’s responses closely. 

Jean-Claude’s eyes grew distant. “Non, not even a little,” he said finally.

“She was your... lover for a long time,” Richard said, a question in his voice. 

“I disagree,” the vampire said smiling faintly. “She had sex with me occasionally in between her other lovers.” He grimaced. “I am not a prude, mon ami, but what she became toward the end was... well hard for even a sexually liberated being like me to swallow.”

Richard rolled his eyes. “She was a slut,” he said bluntly. “And we are both well rid of her.” 

Jean-Claude raised an eyebrow in amusement and then nodded. “We are agreed then, mon ami,” he said finally. “Neither one of us shall miss her.”  
“And you?” Jean-Claude said inquiringly. “How goes your search for a new Lupa?”

The werewolf shook his head and sighed. “I’m not sure I’ll ever find exactly what I’m looking for,” he said. “In the interim I’ve appointed Sylvie as Lupa, and I may keep that arrangement in place. It seems to be working.” 

The vampire tilted his head and regarded Richard seriously. “What are you looking for, mon ami?” he finally asked. 

“What?” Richard replied.

“In a mate,” the vampire clarified. “What exactly are you looking for?” 

Richard paused. “Well,” he said finally, “I suppose that I’m looking for someone who can accept me, and all that I am. Someone who I can respect, someone who is a strong leader for the Pack and someone who I have a healthy attraction to and who is attracted to me obviously.” 

Jean-Claude nodded slowly. “All good considerations, mon ami,” he said softly. “I wish you the best of luck in finding all that you are looking for.”

Richard focused for a moment on the gorgeous creature in front of him. In an ideal world.... He clamped down on that thought. 

Jean-Claude smiled faintly and then turned to speak with another guest.

Richard watched him for a moment, and then went back to the bar for another beer.

Asher watched as the two men continued their surreptitious glances at each other from across the room. The gazes were almost scorching in their intensity, the smoldering heat there for anyone to see. 

The blond vampire shook his head. I am obviously going to have to take a hand in this, he thought ruefully. He strolled casually up to the werewolf who was standing in the corner trying not to look like he was studying the Master of St. Louis.

“Richard?” he said, laughing to himself as the man all but jumped. “Oh, I am sorry... did I startle you?”

Richard shook his head. “I was just, ah, lost in thought,” he said, finally focusing on the man in front of him. 

Asher smiled. “I would like to ask a favor of you if I may,” he asked smoothly. 

“Of course,” the werewolf replied, looking concerned.

“When I am gone, Jean-Claude may...” he paused delicately. 

 ”May...” Richard was all ears now.

“Well, he may be a bit lonely,” the blond vampire said. “We have been very close these past few months, especially since Anita left and... and now he shall not have anyone to talk to.”

The werewolf muttered noncommittally. 

“He trusts you, mon ami,” Asher continued. “He admires all that you have done with the Pack and believes his Kiss could benefit from a similar system.” 

Richard glanced again at the object of their discussion. “Ah... he does?” he replied, surprised. 

“Oui. We have discussed it.” Asher leaned closer. “He will not ask of course, but he will accept advice if it is given freely from a friend. A good friend.”

Richard nodded slowly. “I would like to be better friends with Jean-Claude,” he said, almost to himself.

Asher smiled encouragingly. “Bon. Then I shall rest easier knowing I have left him in your capable... hands.”

Richard nodded almost absently, continuing to watch the younger vampire intently, as he chatted with his guests. 

Jean-Claude seemed to sense that he was being watched and glanced toward Richard. As his midnight blue eyes met those of the werewolf they seemed to be full of meaning, meaning held back. 

Richard did not allow himself to dwell on what those eyes seemed to be saying to him. He averted his eyes quickly and downed his beer.

Asher rolled his eyes. They were both blind! The attraction was obviously mutual and quite intense. Well, he had planted the seed, that was all he could do. From what he had seen tonight however, Asher suspected that neither man would be able to resist the other for too long. 

~

A few more hours of mingling, thought Richard, and I’ll go nuts. 

He had anticipated a boring evening of politics, instead he had had some interesting conversations with several people and he had established once and for all his hopeless attraction to the Master of St. Louis. He had never had such a sexually frustrating evening in his life. 

He subtly shifted again, trying to relieve the tightness in his pants. Thank goodness his jacket was long and could cover up the straining evidence of his rock hard erection. He had long since buttoned up the jacket front to conceal his state. He stood staring into his beer as if it held the secrets of the universe in it’s depths, thus he missed the object of his desire, his obsession, walking up to him. 

“Richard.” 

The smooth dark voice ran through him causing an involuntary shiver which did not go unnoticed. “Are you cold?” Jean-Claude asked, concerned. 

“I’m fine, Jean-Claude. How can I help you?” Richard said brusquely. 

“Asher is about to leave, mon ami.” The vampire inclined his head toward the door. “Would you join us to see him off?”

Richard nodded, stifling a sigh, and fell into step behind the vampire. He studiously avoided checking out his butt. 

It was a small group that eventually gathered at the landing strip that was discreetly located behind the Circus of the Damned. 

The lear jet that was a gift from the Master of St. Louis to the new Master of Richmond shone in the muted light. 

As Asher’s belongings were loaded onto the plane, he said quick goodbyes.

Jean-Claude handed him a thick envelope.

“What is this, mon ami?” Asher asked, fingering the parcel.

“It is a synopsis of the political situation in Richmond,” Jean-Claude replied. “It may not be complete, but it is as up to date as I could obtain with such short notice, and will hopefully allow you to make good decisions about whom to retain there.”

Asher smiled gratefully. “You remembered,” he murmured.

“Mais, bien sur,” Jean-Claude replied, pulling his friend in for a long embrace. 

“I shall miss you, mon chardonneret,” Jean-Claude said as the two pulled back from the hug. The younger vampire’s eyes were glistening.

Asher gently fondled his friend’s silky black hair as he replied. “As I shall miss you, mon ami.” Neither of them saw the narrowing of Richard’s eyes as he watched the farewell scene. 

As Asher went around the group saying his goodbyes, Richard watched Jean-Claude closely, almost suspiciously. 

Asher reached the werewolf and extending a hand, pulled hm in for a warm hug. “Take care of him, mon ami,” he whispered. 

Richard looked at him for a long moment and finally nodded, almost imperceptibly. 

As Asher settled on the plane, he watched the group he was leaving behind. 

He smiled as he saw the almost protective stance Richard took just behind Jean-Claude. The man was almost, but not quite, touching his former lover. 

Jean-Claude seemed very aware of Richard’s presence, but was studiously avoiding looking at him.

Asher smiled. Jean-Claude was in for an interesting time. 

~Fin


End file.
